CSA Newsletter

Mizuna

Greetings from the Garden!  This box has lettuce, salad and braising greens, mizuna, cabbage,  potatoes. the last of the sweet potatoes and turnips, pie pumpkins, leeks or onions, rutabagas, carrots, and sage.

Field Notes.  We left Sunday afternoon for a funeral in Wadena, Minnesota.  We left fall, and entered winter.  Many vegetables were under plastic or fiber, but not all.  After two very cold nights we will see how they fared.  We are racing to harvest and root cellar before consistent cold temperatures damage what remains in garden and field.

Bed prep in garden

Ken and Loyal are leaving for the Biodynamic conference in Madison on Thursday.  I will be home tending animals and catching up on many tasks.  The conference is usually held on either coast, and the Midwest location this year makes it possible to attend.  This is the direction our farm has been heading, and the additional information from the conference will help us move further ahead in the process. 

Ken and Loyal continue to prepare garden and field for winter with additional plantings of spring crops and green manures.  They also have some soil amendments to add. 

The irrigation pond work was completed before this last rain, and we were all delighted to see it holding water!  This was where we invested a chunk of our savings so we will have water during future dry periods.

pie pumpkins

From the Kitchen.  This is the "Thanksgiving" box so it has a pie pumpkin and sage and other holiday essentials.  Ken has been making squash pies right along with any blemished squash.  Pie pumpkins make an equally delicious pie, or are great in cakes and cookies.  I cut a cap like a jack o 'lantern, scoop out the seeds, replace cap and bake, or cut into chunks and steam.  Either works - it just depends on whether I am lighting the oven or if it is already full.

sage in garden

I know most people do mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving.  So today's box has a good mashing variety.

Sage is a delicious herb best used in a way that seals it in - stuffing, biscuits, egg dishes, for example.

Thank you to all of who who attended the opening reception at artZ gallery last week.  And thank you for your vegetable purchases.  Everyone seemed to have a fun evening and the questions directed to Ken were great.

Happy Thanksgiving.  We count you among our blessings.  Thank you all for your support.
Next box December 12th.